Cidrerie de Reillon
located in Lorraine, France, is gaining recognition for its artisanal ciders, focusing on local apple and pear varieties and traditional, low-intervention methods. They represent the growing movement of high-quality, terroir-driven ciders from regions beyond the traditional Normandy and Brittany.
Bio Expansion:
Cidrerie de Reillon is a project that stems from a deep connection to the rich fruit heritage of Lorraine, a region at a European crossroads with fertile hillsides. The founders grew up in Reillon and their travels broadened their understanding of arboriculture and cidermaking, solidifying their desire to express the specific "terroirs" of their homeland through cider.
Their philosophy is built on showcasing the diverse species and varieties found in Lorraine's traditional high-stem orchards. They are deeply committed to:
Hand-Harvesting: All fruits (apples and sometimes quince) are harvested by hand from these local orchards, ensuring optimal ripeness and careful selection.
Traditional & Organic/Conversion: While practicing traditional cultivation, they are notably in conversion to organic agriculture, meaning their practices are already focused on natural methods, avoiding synthetic treatments and herbicides. They highlight that their apples come from untreated orchards.
Wild Yeast Fermentation: A cornerstone of natural cidermaking, their ciders undergo fermentation with indigenous yeasts found naturally on the fruit and in their cellar. This contributes to the complexity and unique character of their ciders.
Natural Effervescence (Prise de Mousse Naturelle): The bubbles in their ciders are naturally created through secondary fermentation in the bottle (méthode traditionelle or ancestral), without forced carbonation.
Minimal Intervention: Their process aims to be as natural as possible, with no or very limited additions. They focus on allowing the fruit and fermentation to speak for themselves.
Diverse Styles: Cidrerie de Reillon produces a range of ciders, from dry ("brut") and refreshing to demi-sec, and even unique "cidromels" (apple-honey ferments) or blends with other fruits like quince. They often release ciders as "millésime" (vintage) expressions, highlighting the characteristics of a particular year.
Aging Potential: Their ciders are crafted to have good aging potential, often up to 5 years or more, allowing for further development of complexity.
Their ciders are described as refreshing, balanced, with distinct acidity, and notes of candied fruits and biscuits, reflecting the rich and varied fruit profile of Lorraine.
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ASOP Wines (Netherlands - Ships to NL, BE, DE, FR, AT, ES, IT, DK, FI, SE): This is an excellent option for European customers. They specifically list "La Cidrerie de Reillon - Les Diagonales" and highlight its elegance.
Extra Brut Store (France/EU): Specializes in natural wines and ciders, often carrying Cidrerie de Reillon. They list "Cidrerie de Reillon / Grégoire Jacquot – Extra Brut" and mention Mirabelle, Pear, and Apple varieties. They likely ship within France and potentially other EU countries.
Pomme d'Or (Netherlands): This Dutch retailer explicitly sells "Cidre Novembre '23 - Cidrerie de Reillon" and other cuvées, calling them a "new acquisition from Lorraine." They ship within the Netherlands and likely to other EU countries.
Raizins (France): Another French online wine and cider shop focusing on natural products. They list Cidrerie de Reillon and their "Côte 303" cider. They ship within France and often to other EU countries.
Cidre Sorre (Official Website - French, but mentions shipping policies): While not Cidrerie de Reillon, it's important to note that some French cideries (like Sorre) offer "Pickup delivery. For France and Europe (except for Switzerland)." While this doesn't apply to Reillon directly, it shows European shipping for French ciders is possible. Cidrerie de Reillon likely has similar arrangements.
https://www.cidre-sorre.fr/en/online-sale-c23.html (Mentioned as reference)
Quaff Webshop (Europe - likely Netherlands based, ships within EU): Has listed Cidrerie de Reillon, including their "Pommes Sauvages 2022." This is another good option for EU delivery.
Vivino (International - Lists availability from various merchants): A great resource for seeing which specific ciders are available and often links to online shops where they are currently sold globally. Search for "Cidrerie de Reillon" and filter by country.